The Punjab cabinet granted on Wednesday the legal permission for private ownership of big cats, including lions, cheetahs, tigers, pumas, and jaguars, under stringent regulations.
The approval was part of a four-point agenda presented by the Department of Forests during a cabinet meeting.
For the first time, the keeping of these animals was regulated under the Wildlife Act, which now mandates possession licences issued directly by the Wildlife Department.
"We have introduced a licensing fee of Rs50,000 per animal and established minimum standards for keeping these animals in private homes," an official spokesperson from the Punjab Cabinet stated.
According to the revised rules, the animals must be housed outside urban areas, with a stipulated timeframe for relocation to such locations. Violators of these provisions would face registration of the first information reports (FIRs).
The amended Punjab Forest Transit Rules also prohibited the transportation of forest produce from sunset to sunrise.
Checkposts would be established at key points to enforce these rules. Under the new framework, forest officers were empowered to close depots and impose fines in cases of violations.
"The revised regulations ensure stricter oversight and protection of wildlife while maintaining control over forest resources," the spokesperson added.
